Reds rally with four runs in eighth to beat White Sox

Scott Schebler hit the first pitch the Cincinnati Reds saw Monday night into the bullpen in right field.

The Reds needed 100-plus more pitches before they scored again, but they made the wait worth it, rallying from a 3-1 deficit with four runs in the eighth to beat the Chicago White Sox 5-3 in the opener of a three-game series at Great American Ball Park.

Scooter Gennett started the rally with a lead-off single. The bases were loaded when Gennett scored on a groundball to first by Adam Duvall. White Sox first baseman Matt Davidson fielded the ball and threw home without stepping on first. Gennett beat the throw, and Duvall also reached.

The next batter, Billy Hamilton, hit a sacrifice fly to score Eugenio Suarez with the tying run. Then pinch hitter Alex Blandino doubled to right to score Duvall and Jose Peraza.

Reds starter Luis Castillo kept the White Sox scoreless for six innings. In the seventh, the White Sox had a runner at second with two outs when the Reds replaced Castillo with Amir Garrett.

The first batter Garrett faced, Yoan Moncada, doubled to score Adam Engel. The next batter, Yolmer Sanchez, singled to score Moncada, giving the White Sox a 2-1 lead. Avisail Garcia hit a home run in the eighth to extend Chicago’s lead to 3-1.

After Schebler’s home run in the first inning, the Reds loaded the bases against White Sox starter James Shields with two outs, but Peraza popped out to end the inning.

The Reds also loaded the bases in the seventh. With two outs, Joey Votto lined out to center on a 3-0 count. Votto entered that at-bat as a career .588 hitter (20-for-34) on 3-0 counts. He had walked 264 times in 302 plate appearances.